Game



Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFCE GAME James Ruberti, Fitchburg, Mass.

Application April 12, 1938, Serial No. 201,574

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a game of the type in which balls are rolled against a series of movable pins.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a construction of such a nature that it can be mounted on a table, or the like; to provide a construction in which the displacement of certain pins of the series will cause other pins to be displaced with them; to provide a conl0 struction in which the displacement of the pin or pins will cause or result in the pins turning about a horizontal axis; to provide for the stopping of the pins at an angle of about 270 so that they will remain in horizontal instead of vertical position, and to provide a connection for each pin which will be capable of engaging an adjacent one and moving it therewith.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a preferred ernbodiment of the invention showing the pins in position to start the game; n

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same showing in dotted lines three of the pins in horizontal position, indicating that they have been displaced;

Fig. 3 is an end View of the same under the same conditions, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, showing how several pins can be operated by the engagement of a ball against one of them.

The device is adapted to be mounted on two bases Ill, each having a vertical standard II extending upwardly from it. These two standards are shown as bent inwardly at the top and provided with a collar l2. These collars are perforated and support, through their perforations, a stationary shaft I3, extending across the device from one standard to the other.

On the shafts are pivotally mounted a plurality of swinging pins I4 adapted to retain a normal vertical position by gravity and they are swingingly mounted on the shaft I3. At the ends, the series of pins is held by two collars I5 and between each two pins is a collar I6 merely to hold the pins apart and render them free to vturn on the shaft. They are shown as having more weight at the bottom than at the top so they will normally hang down vertically.

At one end of the shaft I3 is a rest Il fixed to the shaft and standard and extending forwardly and then inwardly in a line parallel with the shaft and having an upper surface constituting a resting surface at about the height of the center of the shaft. Also pivoted on the shaft is a frame I8, preferably of rectangular form, and conveniently of wire, having two eyes I9 through which the shaft passes and serves as 5 a pivot for the frame. For packing and storing purposes, this frame will hang down vertically from the shaft but, when the game is to be played, it is turn-ed back, as shown in Fig. 3, particularly, so that it rests on the rest I I in l0 horizontal position.

Near the bottoms of the several pins I :i are arranged cross pieces 2G. These cross pieces are all at the same level and the cross piece on the central pin engages behind the adjacent ends of 16 the cross pieces on the next two pins. On each of the other pins the cross pieces engage behind the adjacent arm on the next pin on one side.

The method of playing the game is to set up the parts described in the manner shown and to 20 roll balls, similar to bowling balls, croquet balls, billiard balls, or the like, one at a time, toward the pins set up as described above. If the ball strikes the end .pin it will have no effect on the others and that end pin may be thrown back 25 far enough, if the impact of the ball is sufficient to swing that pin around 270, until the end of the pin, which originally was at the bottom rests on the frame I8. If the center pin is struck by the ball, the impact may be sufficient to throw 30 all the pins around to that position and the central pin will ring a bell 2l on the frame I8, announcing a strike. Each pin is shown as having a spot of sheet rubber 22 to receive the stroke of the ball and cushion it. Corresponding scores 35 may be made by hitting the other pins,

'I'he game may be played like the game of ten pins and scored in the same way. Seven pins are shown here, but nine or any other similar odd number may be used. This constitutes a 40 Very interesting game that can be played in the home on a table or on the floor, or any other convenient place, or it may be used for commercial purposes in ordinary bowling alleys. The parts are few and simple, not likely to get out 45 of order by the ordinary playing of the game and it constitutes a comparatively inexpensive game.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited 50 to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacturaa game of the character described comprising a horizontal shaft located in fixed position, a substantially rec- 55 tangular frame pivoted to turn on said shaft, a rest fixed to said shaft and projecting to a distance therefrom at the level thereof at a distance from said shaft for receiving said frame and holding it in horizontal position, and pins pivotally mounted less than half the length of the pins and free to turn on said shaft, whereby, when one of the pins receives the impact of a rolled ball, it may turn over into a position where its end rests on the top of said frame in horizontal position.

2. As an article of manufacture, a game of the character described comprising a horizontal stationary shaft located in fixed position, a frame l pivoted to turn on said shaft, a rest fixed to said shaft and projecting to a distance therefrom at the level thereof at a distance from said shaft for receiving said frame and holding it in horizontal position, an impact signal at the center of said frame, and pins pivotally mounted and free to turn on said shaft, whereby, when the center one of the pins receives the impact of a rolled ball, it may turn over into a position where its end delivers an impact to said signal to give an alarm thus preventing the alarm from Working when any pin but the center one is operated.

JAMES RUBERTI. 

